Who am I online

Having considered the use of an online identity for an educator, it is also important for you to think about the role an institution plays. For example, if you work for a university, college or company do they have a social media policy? Is there a policy for supporting staff who may suffer abuse online? Do they recognise and reward an online profile in the same way that a traditional profile is rewarded? Do they know how to recognise the impact of online tools such as a blog? Should they?

Some institutions are very positive about social media. For example, the London School of Economics notes:

LSE Blogs have grown into one of the world’s primary digital knowledge exchange platforms for academics, students, policymakers and journalists. Contributions from think-tank researchers, politicians and third-sector experts across the world provide evidence-based commentary and accessible summaries of academic research. At LSE we also use blogs for student engagement and teaching, where our teams are recognised for the early adoption of digital platforms (LSE, 2023)

These days, most institutions have a policy about staff use of social media, providing guidance about such issues as appropriate content, tone, representing the institution, branding, respecting others, adhering to the law, and protecting copyright (Pomerantz et al, 2015).

If you search for ‘university guidelines for social media’ or ‘school guidelines for social media’, you will find many policies. These cover practical advice on how to use social media, legal statements on representing the institution and where to gain support.

Examine one or two of these quickly, and then contribute to the discussion with your fellow learners, considering the question ‘What is the institution’s role in relation to an educator’s online identity?’

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